The suspension works, but there isn’t any true dampening. That means you’re just riding around on springs. On a real full suspension e-bike (i.e. a few thousand dollars) you get actual oil-dampened shocks. Those absorb bumps and dampen the shock. With springs, the bike bounces a few times after bumps, with the energy dissipating through the spring stretching and compressing.

Government agencies like the USDA National Forests and the Bureau of Land Management should distinguish between electric pedal-assist eBikes (Type 1) and self-propelled eBikes (Type 2). The former are still human-powered whereas the latter are fully motorized like a motorcycle. Some states like California are already recognizing the different classifications of eBikes and allowing some on trails while prohibiting others. This clear distinction should help us avoid expanding our mountain bike trails to motorcycles, or worse yet, have trails that are currently open to mountain bikes relegated to “hiking only.”
When all was said and done, the Commencal Meta Power Race 650B+ proved to have everyone's favorite e-bike controls. Commencal uses the Shimano Steps E8000 motor and system which features ergonomic thumb shifters, a small but easy to read digital display and a secure and straightforward charging connection. The ergonomic shifter of the Shimano system is better than the electronic buttons found on both the Specialized, HaiBike and Trek. The Commencal's best-in-the-test digital display also proved to be a favorite for its small size and out of the way mounting location, easy to read at-a-glance information, and color-coded support settings information. The HaiBike's Yamaha PW-X motor and system also featured a digital display, but testers thought it was a little too big, displayed too much information, was more challenging to read, and generally felt a little more clunky and less refined than the Shimano system. That Trek Powerfly's Bosch Purion shifter and display unit was easy to read and had a bright screen, but was in a less visible location on the left side of the handlebar. Our Editor's Choice Award winner, the Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Comp 6Fattie scored the lowest in this rating due to the lack of a handlebar mounted display and a less user-friendly charging connection.
Beach cruiser fans rejoice with the Raleigh Retroglide iE Step Thru. Cruise the boardwalk with maximum style and minimum effort as you enjoy the perks of a 350 watt motor and a top pedal-assisted speed of 20mph. Enjoy the comfort of an upright riding position thanks to the backswept handlebar and take advantage of the cargo-carrying capacity, thanks to the rear rack, to run errands around town or commute to work. With a claimed range of 35 miles, the Raleigh Retroglide is a great choice for anyone who wants to add a little speed to daily cruise.
With over a decade of experience as an advertising executive, Mark is certain that the market will accept the electric bike and is here to make sure it happens. Mark has an impressive list of former clients in industries like pharmaceuticals, convenience stores, community banks, floor coverings, visitors’ bureaus, resorts and Location Based Services (LBS). When he’s not on Facebook, tweeting or learning how to leverage the latest viral marketing techniques,...

This isn't just the lightest mountain bike frame we've ever made, it's our lightest frame—period. The Men's Epic Hardtail was redesigned from the ground-up to give you an unparalleled performance advantage on the XC track. It flies up hills with ease, sends descents with confidence, and wastes nary a watt. Consider it a cross country revolution, and remember, this is going to be epic.

For many bikes, battery range is more important that total power (because they're all pretty powerful). You want a bike that delivers a range long enough for your rides at the power levels you want. Most e-bikes will have three to five levels of assist kicking in anywhere from 25 percent of you pedal power to 200 percent boost. Consider how fast the battery takes to recharge, especially if you'll be using your bike for long commutes.

There are two main types of motor to suit different riding styles. The durable, "heavy duty" Direct-Drive motor, and the lightweight, efficient and fast "performance" geared motor. Electric Bike Motors, hub motors in particular, and electric bike batteries are what make electric bicycles go. Using a hand throttle you control the flow of electric current from the battery to the brushless motor. With an intelligent 20 Amp controller regulating the...

The Spectral:ON is our most challenging development project to date. With the focus on the essentials, it was our clear goal to design an E-MTB that rides like the perfect trail bike. The result is already award-winning: modern trail geometry, wheel concept with 29/27.5" wheels front and rear, plus Shimano's powerful Steps E8000 drive. With the support of the engine, Spectral:ON expands your horizons: more trails per hour, trying out new ways and pushing the boundaries. You master even steep, technical climbs playfully and enjoy the agile handling and the outstanding smoothness in fast passages downhill. Space for bottle holder, geometry adjustment and lightning-fast battery change? Standard! We've taken every detail into account to give you the ultimate E-MTB driving experience.

E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and the lighter ones can travel up to 25 to 32 km/h (16 to 20 mph), depending on local laws, while the more high-powered varieties can often do in excess of 45 km/h (28 mph). In some markets, such as Germany as of 2013, they are gaining in popularity and taking some market share away from conventional bicycles,[1] while in others, such as China as of 2010, they are replacing fossil fuel-powered mopeds and small motorcycles.[2][3]